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"Yes, I’m Everly," she said And I was done

She was like no woh-spirited, to say the least The most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, certainly But more than that, she was real Maybe it was her belief that she was meant to be with my brother that allowed her to drop all pretences withroo me all the way back to Philadelphia I’ve never been so enraptured I knew she was attracted toit tooth and nail, under some insane belief thather beca her ht out from underneath me I had a son A four-year-old son And the love of my life was a vivacious twenty-two-year-old who hadchildren anytis on exes and custody arranges and holidays spent divided I’d never have stood a chance with her if Jake had been in the picture e’d met

So as I supposed to do?

I knew she’d stay if I told her about hi a child, an instant family, on her that she’d resent later?

So I sent her away

It fucking killed me But I sent her away I assumed she’d find out about Jake eventually, realize that was the reason why But I thought it’d be months down the line She’d move on Find someone new So,it with her She could have the life she envisioned for herself without feeling guilty for walking away from me

But then she showed up that afternoon in Dilworth Park, and I watched a hundred emotions cross her face when she saw Jake, heard him call me Daddy I couldn’t let her disappear into the subway thinking everything between us had been a lie And then she surprisedfor a chance to meet Jake, to prove that not only could we make it work for us, she wanted to make it work for my son too

I watched her fall in love with Jake over the next several weeks and it was the most absolute love I’ve ever witnessed

Then she wrote him his own book, Forever Hoent I sent it to He’s got an offer for it, an offer and a request from the publisher for an additional two books I received the email late this afternoon Now I just need to tell Everly about it She doesn’t think it’s good enough for the world to see, but she’s been wrong before

"What are you doing?" I approach her fro in to nip at her neck and take a peek at what she’s up to I’ve found it’s best to stay up to date with Everly at all tiirl you want a step ahead of you

She’s curled up in a corner of my couch, all of that remarkable hair piled onto the top of her head in a a pants and an oversized cotton top that’s slipping off one shoulder as she taps a key on the laptop She’s beautiful like this Stunning, really I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with her

"Research," she tells me, and I think I see a castle on the screen Not a romantic European castle I can rent in order to fuck her in every room, but a Disney castle

"For?" I prod

"The honeymoon"

"Aren’t I supposed to plan the honey around the couch to sit next to her I’ works, but I seerooain, Everly isn’t exactly traditional